Home > "The Dough Should Pass the Windowpane Test and Register 77 to 81 Degrees....."

February 24, 2009 - 2:34pm

AndyKornkven

"The Dough Should Pass the Windowpane Test and Register 77 to 81 Degrees....."

This sentence, or one like it, occurs throughout the Formulas section of Peter Rinehart's Bread Baker's Apprentice. I know what the windowpane test is. But I don not recall the author explaining why the temperature of the dough should rise so significantly after being kneaded for 6-10 minutes; nor do I recall him instructing what to do if your dough does not make it to the prescribed temperature range.

I always stick my trusty digital thermometer (bought from King Arthur Flour) into the kneaded dough, and not once yet has my dough registered above 74 degrees. I've tried kneading for additional minutes, and that seems to raise the dough a degree or two. Am I doing something wrong? Do I need to turn up the thermostat in my house?